Violations against Immigrants: ACJPS’ Report on Illegal Immigration and the Violations Related to the Rights of Asylum Seekers in Sudan: June-December 2017

Before and after the secession of South Sudan in July 2011, Sudan was and still is one of the destinations for illegal immigrants and a crossing point for asylum seekers. Sudan’s common borders with Chad, Central African Republic, Congo, Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt and Libya are used as crossing gates for citizens of numerous countries heading to their final destinations in Europe. 10% of those emigrants settle in Sudan, whereas 90% use it as a crossing point.

Previous political tensions in Ethiopia and current political tensions in Eritrea made Eastern Sudan an area with a significant movement of Eritrean refugees throughout the past 41 years. There were more than 200,000 Eritrean refugees in this area, with 4 refugee camps and 4 refugee reception centres, 3 of which are in the State of Kasala and 1 in the State of Gadarif.

Refugees in these camps especially Eritreans face violations such as excessive violence by the Sudanese police and violations by gangs of human trafficking who break into the camps and take refugees.

Illegal immigration and movement of human trafficking gangs in Eastern Sudan was rampant between 2007 and 2014. They used a quiet desert path to Egypt and Israel. There were numerous spots in Sinai desert where ransoms were enforced on immigrants trafficked by gangs. However, the political changes in Egypt in 2014 resulted in part, in the crackdown on activities of human trafficking in Sinai. The Human trafficking gangs then shifted their human trafficking routes to Northern Sudan desert path towards the Libyan borders then eventually to Europe.

Human trafficking routes towards the Libyan borders changed after smugglers faced difficulties in Eastern Sudan. Illegal immigration started to take other routes via Kampala in Uganda, Juba in South Sudan, Khartoum in Sudan and Libya via Egypt or other borders. Auto trade route between Libya and Sudan via Darfur became another route for illegal immigrants to get to Libya.

This report covers the period of June to December 2017 focusing on asylum seekers and illegal Eritrean refugees.

Read full Report Here: Report on Illegal Immigration and the Violations Related to the Rights of Asylum Seekers in Sudan